Schism
by cabalistic
Summary: All Hinata ever wanted was to get married with her lifelong crush. But when she discovers the headless body of her fiancé, all her dreams are crushed. And the same day, Hinata's ex returns, willing to do anything to get her back.
1. Chapter 1

**Schism**  
By: Cabalistic  
_"Love is not a lifelong passion, nor a fiery devotion. Love is dancing on the brink of Madness."_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

Summary: Hinata and Neji are walking on the edge of a lake when they discover the headless body of Hinata's fiancé. The same day, Hinata's ex, returns, willing to do anything to get her back.

* * *

A/N: YES CABALISTIC IS BAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!! -instantly tackled and beaten to a bloody pulp by impatient fans- Wahh! I'm sorry!! I could make up a billion excuses that are totally irrelevent. But I will say this: DANGNABBIT HIGH SCHOOL !#!#!!

So, to clear things up, this is NOT a new story. This is Schism, formerly Silver Heart.

I've decided to rewrite Silver Heart because when I finally had the time to relook the whole story over and mmm, I'll just say that it wasn't the best thing I wrote. And one of my _very_ devoted fans, PenScribble06, has all but pulverized me into writing it again. So I've decided to rewrite it into a better format and try to get the story again!

So please, even though you'll have an idea of what is going on if you have read Silver Heart, read it again!! I hope you won't be disappointed:3

* * *

I

"You look so beautiful, Hinata!"

The Hyuuga heiress beamed at her reflection. The gauzy veil covered her pale face and made her timid eyes seem luminous and alluring, not indecisive and shy. Usually, she looked sickly and pale, but the dress flattered her slim figure and the strapless dress made her pale skin seem flawless, creamy and milky. Pink embroidery of a phoenix swirled a glossy pattern along her slender figure, waving shimmering patterns like water.

"Do you think so?" She said shyly. Her reflection beamed again.

Tenten's flushed face appeared next to hers as her best friend and bridesmaid squeezed Hinata's arm to confirm this. "Of course!" She exclaimed, her dark eyes burning with sincerity. "It's the best dress I've ever seen!"

"Since you know so much on dresses, Tenten," Her other best friend and maid of honor, Ino, appeared on the other side of Hinata as she teased Tenten, who was known for her tomboyish streak. Tenten made a mock face of hurt as Ino fussed around with Hinata's skirt, her blue eyes round. "You did a great job modifying your mom's dress! I can see now why you didn't want to go and buy a new one." Tenten sighed dramatically. "And at first we thought it was just because you didn't want to spend any money."

Hinata shrugged good-naturedly at her two best friends. "I saw my mom's wedding picture and I knew it was perfect. Besides, I don't really have the money to waste on clothing right now." Her smile wavered as she thought of her father's opinion on this. He had shown no interest in her wedding. She looked over her shoulder at the solitary figure leaning against the archway. "What do you think Neji?" Hinata asked brightly.

Her cousin made his way over from the doorway to stand beside her, acknowledging her wedding dress. Standing beside her, his reflection mirrored hers almost completely: he looked like her twin, although he was taller and technically older than her by two years. He raised an eyebrow as his colorless eyes appraised her reflection. "It's a bit flashy. Very different from what you usually wear," he commented.

"Oh please!" Tenten chimed, a bright smile on her face, "That's what we're looking for! Something completely different from the bags she usually wears."

Hinata flushed beet red – she knew she had an unusually higher level of modesty than most of other girls, which accounted for years of hiding behind excess layers of clothing. Coming out in public wearing this wedding dress was bold for the Hyuuga heiress, but for this occasion, she wanted everything to be perfect.

"It depends," Neji said carefully. His meaningful white eyes drifted from the dress to meet her gaze in the mirror. His eyes quietly asked her where her true thoughts were: whether she liked the dress or not. She inclined her head towards him in the tiniest nod. His lips twisted strangely, in smirk or scowl she couldn't tell, but said, "I don't find anything disapproving about it. Naruto will be pleased."

Hinata flushed a darker shade of red at the name and her hands clutched her dress helplessly as she tried to remember to breathe. Naruto, _the_ Uzumaki Naruto – her lifelong crush and obsession – was getting married to _her_, shy, hush-quiet, Hinata the wallflower. The notion seemed impossible and yet it was more than a dream now, it was her reality, something that she didn't think probable.

Uzumaki Hinata – that would be her new name. In two week's time, part of her name would be Naruto's name as well. The thought made her head spin uncontrollably.

The part of the whole wedding package that had startled Hinata the most was how easily her father had gone along with the idea. All along, Hinata expected him to betroth her to some unknown shinobi to some other high-status clan in Konoha. After Naruto had proposed to her, she had dreaded telling her father, for fear of his disapproval, or worse, forbidding her to marry the Kyuubi. Instead, Hyuuga Hiashi seemed to go along quietly with the wedding, much to Hinata's surprise.

The ring clasped elegantly around her fourth finger was more than just a circumference of silver and delicately inlaid diamonds – it represented something. It was a symbol of her future – their future, together, forever, linked in perfect harmony. She twisted the ring around her finger anxiously, watching the flowered design wink back at her in the lighting.

Unawares of where the bride's thoughts were, Ino mussed with Hinata's hair, which was hanging long and black along her back. "You have really thick hair, Hinata – have you decided how you are going to put up your hair?" Ino studied it from different angles with an expert's eye. "I think a nice bun would do the trick, and we'll leave a strip out and curl it. Maybe even a cherry blossom to go along with the theme." She nodded with her mental approval.

Hinata smiled. Her best friends, Ino and Tenten, were naturally helping out in the ways they could. Ino was helping her with her appearance – the dress, the makeup, the hair and whatnot, while Tenten was in charge of the overall layout of the wedding. She had already decided it was going to be in one of Konoha's flower parks – out near the training fields where the cherry blossom trees were. Tenten had also chosen a pink and white theme, hence the specific design added to Hinata's dress.

Her eyes were closed, then slowly, she opened them to see herself in the mirror – a vision in her mother's dress. A small smile graced her full lips. Yes, this was what she was born for. This was the moment she had lived up to for her entire life for she had never looked so breathtakingly beautiful. She could easily picture Naruto standing beside her at the altar and she flushed a deeper shade of red.

"Oooh look at how deep she's blushing," Ino chided, elbowing Tenten.

"I _wonder_ who she could be thinking about," Tenten replied. The two friends winked to each other mischievously and laughed as the Hyuuga heiress flushed several shades darker. Neji watched, amused, as his younger cousin stammered some incoherent statement will fidgeting from where she stood on a stool in front of the mirror.

The two giggled together. "_Noo-oo_," Ino said, enunciating the word into two syllables. "Would it just happen to be a person that breathes ramen and has a voice that says—"

"Hinata-chaaaaaaaaaaan!!"

Hinata brightened instantly at the sound of his voice. She quickly slid out of the layers of white cloth and slipped her clothes back on in a matter of a few seconds. Flushed she hopped off the stool, running up to him delightedly. He caught her up in his embrace and caught her in his embrace with little difficulty. His laughter filled the room and made her beam at the sight of him. The few moments of his absence were no more than a few minutes at the least but felt like an eternity in her heart.

"I leave for a few seconds to go to the bathroom and you act like I'm coming back from an A ranked mission," Naruto laughed aloud again, amused. Abashed, Hinata averted her eyes, almost guiltily. The Uzumaki wound his finger in her hair and looked down at her with his sky blue eyes, smiling.

"Try thirty minutes," Ino shot back at the Kyuubi, her hands on her hips.

"Yeah," Tenten added dryly, a snide smile on her face as she disappeared into the closet to carefully pack the wedding dress away from Naruto's probing eyes, "Did you even bother to check the expiration date _before_ you bought the milk?"

Ino scolded him like a rebuking mother, "How many times have we told you that ramen doesn't go with milk, Naruto?"

Naruto made a face and everyone laughed, the atmosphere light and boisterous, even coaxing a slight smile from the stoic Neji from where he was standing in the corner. He only came with them because of his duty to Hinata as a guardian, but more than that as well, as her cousin. Other than that, he was usually on the sidelines, watching with careful pale eyes.

"Ano, ano, do I get to see Hinata in the dress?" Naruto said eagerly, looking around for the dress that had magically disappeared when he entered the room.

"Heck no!" Ino yelled, hitting Naruto on the head. "You know the groom can't see the bride in the dress before the wedding! It's bad luck!"

Naruto pouted and Hinata giggled.

"Tch, are you done yet?" A flat voice came from the doorway behind Naruto.

Hinata twisted her head to see none other than Nara Shikamaru enter the doorway, a fixated bored expression on his face. He was, naturally, slouching with his greasy hair raked back into an untidy ponytail. He eyed the room, strewn with various cloth and sewing materials, with something close to disgust and rolled his eyes in annoyance, shaking his head. "How troublesome," he muttered.

Hinata bit her lip and averted her eyes. Years ago, she might have started bawling. Shikamaru's indifferent attitude cut into her the same way she feared her father might reflect of her wedding. Although she knew it wasn't his fault, Shikamaru's crudely blunt remarks were harsh at times.

Then Hinata felt a light presence on her shoulder and she looked up to see Naruto's hand there as he grinned broadly at her. He said easily with his good-natured tone, "Ano…you're just jealous you can't wear her dress, Shikamaru." He winked at Hinata and she giggled.

The other boy indignantly shouted, "Nani!?" And the atmosphere was light again.

Ino smirked and swatted the other boy on the head as she chided him, "You're so full of yourself, it's funny." She took his shoulder and casually pecked her fiancé on the lips with such composure, Hinata felt slightly awed. "How'd the mission go?" Ino said.

"Troublesome as usual," was the predicted answer. He released a haggard sigh, running his hand through his hair as though he was thinking of all the things he could have been doing instead of being here. But Hinata doubted he really had much to do on his agenda other than…watch the clouds. She didn't really understand why anyone would go out with Shikamaru at first because he was so impassive with his flat remarks, but Ino seemed to parry it lightly with her hot-headed nature. The time when he had finally asked her out and she consented, everyone had been relieved. Now their wedding date was set for a few months apart from Naruto and Hinata's, something that was a major highlight in Ino's life. The group had swelled easily to include Shikamaru and he was Naruto's best man, although Shikamaru thought little of the wedding to begin with.

Hinata felt a gaze on her and looked up to see Naruto's blue eyes scrutinizing her. She trembled – when his eyes were on her, it felt as though she could soar. His lips curled into a smile as he said, sheepishly, reaching back to rub the back of his head, "You look beautiful, Hinata."

Hinata smiled timidly and nodded. "It looks great. I like it," she confided softly.

"Then I like it too!" Naruto declared. Hinata giggled and he squeezed her hand.

Tenten interrupted then, interlocking arms with Hinata as she said, "Well, if you guys are done with complimenting each other, let's go get something to eat! I'm starved and I told Lee to meet us for lunch."

"Ramen!" Naruto exclaimed reflexively and everyone laughed again. Naruto squeezed Hinata's hand again and she felt as though he had squeezed her heart. Everything was going along so smoothly and she was a mere heartbeat away from being Naruto's lawfully wedded _wife _in a matter of days.

Hinata smiled to herself. Everything was going to be _perfect!_

* * *

The road stretched on for miles, endlessly without sight of the end. The dusty road was a familiar one to this vagabond, he recalled walking upon it naught but a few years ago. Wearing a hood over his head, he pulled a facemask up over his nose and mouth and readjusted the brim of his hoodie lower to hide his eyes so that his features were indistinguishable. He had a backpack slung over his shoulder and he wore a simple traveling garb.

He had been walking for a while now. The sun had risen and set and risen and set in several cycles and had rained several times, much to his ill temper. He only stopped to rest and eat once then started up again, fueled by his determination and sheer persistence. He began to tire of the endless road that laid out before him and impatiently quickened his steps, as though it would speed up the whole process altogether.

He had never been a patient man.

Now he had all the more reason to be in a hurry. He was unable to recall what day it was and ever since his journey had started, he had come across no one on his journey. His mission was one of solitude and one of very personal nature.

Anxiously, he tore a cigarette case from his pocket and stuck one into his mouth. He flipped open a lighter and snapped the small flame on, lighting the end of the cigarette. Taking the cigarette in his hands, he inhaled the fumes deeply and felt his nervousness calming down. As he tucked the lighter back in his pocket, his hands brushed against the metal chain clasped around his neck, a dog tag dangling from it. He grinned maliciously and flipped the thin dog tag over to reveal the engraved lettering:

_"Chigau dureka o ashitemo _

_Ima mo aishite iru_

_Motto soba mi itakatta_

_Mou nido to aenai kedo tsumo soba da sasaete kureta_

_Saigo ni miseta namida ga kisenakute."_

—_Hyuuga Hinata_

He clenched his fingers around the metal tag, feeling its metal cool his fingertips. He could see her clearly now: full lips parted in her soft smile, her pale eyes looking at him gently with her black hair curled over her shoulder. He trembled at the thought of seeing her again. It had been far too long.

He looked up to see a sign: Konoha: two miles. He tightened his hold around the metal tag, envisioning her expression already.

"Hinata," he breathed, his free hand snaking into his jacket to stroke the smooth handle of his gun that weighed heavily in the inner pocket. His lips widened into a nastier grin, intensified as he shivered in pure anxiety. "Guess who's come home."

* * *

A/N: Welllllllll -yawn- That wasn't so bad... Oh and about the poem that the stranger-dude-stalker-guy had? Yeah. I'll translate that later. So be patient puh-leaze.

I _AM_ currently working on the second chapter! So I do plan to put it up sometime this week!

**PLEASE REVIEW**! **REVIEW! REVIEW!** It makes me feel loved :3


	2. Chapter 2

**Schism**  
By: Cabalistic  
_"Love is not a lifelong passion, nor a fiery devotion. Love is dancing on the brink of Madness."_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

II

"Ne, Hinata, I've been meaning to ask you."

"Hm?" Hinata tilted her head towards Naruto, her fair eyes gazing into his. His blue eyes were avoiding hers, averted to the ground and he had his hands tucked in careless poise behind his head. Hinata smiled as he tried to arrange his thoughts. He grinned sheepishly and squeezed her hand tightly, their fingers interlocked.

Walking around the perimeter of the lake, the soon-to-be newly-weds finally managed to get away from the hectic preparations of the upcoming ceremonious day to spend time together. Although they were both eager for the wedding, the date had put a toll on each of them. Hinata smiled to herself – Naruto had insisted on helping out with the wedding as much as he could, putting forth a golden effort in preparing, something uncannily unlike Naruto's usual traits of sloppiness.

Hinata felt a flutter of warmth beat its wings around her heart. He was being wonderful to her, perhaps even spoiling her by trying to appease her. From what she gathered from Ino's wedding preparations, Shikamaru didn't give a fig about if she was going to wear a dress or a paper bag. Despite this lack of enthusiasm from the groom, it did not hinder Ino's determination, in fact, it seemed to strengthen it.

They were both barefoot as they treaded through the sand gently, each holding their shoes in one hand. Their other hands were clasped together tightly, and when there was a momentary silence, Naruto would swing their arms back and forth as they were children and Hinata was laugh at him.

"Are you…" Naruto trailed off uncertainly, skirting a rock in his path. His voice was flustered and nervous and Hinata wondered what was on the Kyuubi's troubled mind. She slid a comforting smile to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. Walking together now was effortless, their legs in perfect sync, each perfect bend of their arms in rhythm. It was as though they were not separate beings, but one.

This was something she missed – just spending time together as though there was no one else in the world but the two of them, pretending there was no one out there but just themselves, together. The waves washed upon the shore and the thunderous cry of the wave rippled through her heart and she sighed.

"How do you…feel about the wedding?" He finally uttered. Hinata looked over at her fiancé and studied his expression. His blue gaze flickered over to hers apprehensively, a worried set to his jaw. His arm was protectively around her shoulder and she felt profoundly safe. Naruto looked like a Greek god garbed in very casual, baggy jeans that put an emphasis on his lanky figure and a black t-shirt with a Konoha design.

Hinata compared him to herself. She was wearing a white halter-top and beige cargo capris. The darker color Naruto wore brought out the blue in his eyes almost with black electricity fired in his pupils. What she wore made her feel different, as though the contrast in bright and dark had set them apart. She smiled then – they had always been different, hadn't they? He was loud and courageous, unafraid of the world. She was timid and shy, a withdrawn wallflower.

"I'm worried," Hinata finally confessed to him. "I'm worried that something's going to happen at the last minute that we didn't prepare for." She tucked a stubborn strand of her hair behind her ear and laughed. "Like what if my dress doesn't come in on time? Or we forget to invite someone? Or even worse – what if they send in the wrong flowers?"

Naruto laughed as he twirled the curl of hair around his hand. "Ne, Hinata," he murmured, "I think everything preparations-wise is going to be fine. But I wonder…" he halted his words and looked around him curiously as though he hadn't been fully aware of his surroundings.

"Did I…do you think I rushed into it too early?" Naruto said, haltingly.

Hinata stopped in her tracks and Naruto stumbled to stare down at her, worry dancing in his azure eyes. Her eyes were round as she looked at him, bewildered. "D-do you…do you mean you want to cancel the wedding?" She whispered, horrified. Her voice was so faint, Naruto had to lower his head to hear her. Her old stutter crept back into her voice.

"What?! No!!" Naruto's laughter broke the tension and he leaned down to press his lips to her cheek. A bright blush enflamed the side of her face and she almost went weak in her knees from a rush of relief that passed through her. Being near her fiancé was like a fantasy that had leapt off the story page. Her own shining knight of armor – emerged victorious.

"Silly Hinata," Naruto chuckled. "Where did you get an idea like that?"

"But you said—"

"Oh well I meant…" Naruto fumbled for his words again. "I thought that you might have wanted to wait for a while before we got married so we could do things properly." He grinned and said, "Shikamaru said that I was too impatient and I needed to take things easier. Neji disapproved too."

A fist clenched around Hinata's heart and his honesty towards her made her smile. "No, your timing was perfect," Hinata whispered fiercely. Her coming of age was nearing soon and it was something she had dreaded profoundly. Once she became of age, there as no turning back the heirdom. But now that she was getting married to Naruto, she no longer could become the leader of the Hyuuga clan because to be leader required marriage to a full-blooded Hyuuga, to keep the line pureblooded. The heirdom passed to Hanabi who rightfully deserved it. For once, she could do something to please her father, even if he would never say anything about it.

Hinata no longer would be viewed as Hyuuga Hinata but rather Uzumaki Hinata, a stranger and foreigner to the Hyuugas. It was like a dream come true – to be freed from the lifelong traditions and customs that had daily constrained her. She would adapt the same name that only Naruto would share with her. Indeed, Naruto was her shining knight in armor.

Naruto was watching her expression carefully and he slowly grinned. She could tell that he knew where her thoughts were because he gently squeezed her shoulder and they fell back into their easy walking tempo. "I'm glad then," Naruto said. "I wasn't sure I could wait any longer."

Hinata laughed and shook her head. Naruto's impatience had lucked them out.

Enthusiastically, Naruto launched into a conversation. "So when we get married, Hinata, I was thinking about getting a house kind of near here, so we can look out in the morning and see the sunrise _bam!_ Right in our window! We'll get a nice big dorm so there will be a nice kitchen for you to cook as much as you want!" He paused. "Or maybe we can get a nice small one in the city. But you never liked the city noise much, did you Hinata?"

She smiled and shook her head. Of course Naruto would know, even if she had never told him directly.

"How about we save up our money and then we can buy a house out by the outskirts of the village?" He halted then realized, "But that would be kind of dangerous because we would be farther out than anyone else. Missing nins could…" His voice faded out with the possibility. Eagerly, he turned his face to Hinata, his blue eyes burning with his happiness. "What do you think, Hinata-chan?"

"Hmm," Hinata mused aloud as she considered each possibility. She looked at Naruto and her smile widened. "How about the lake house? I wouldn't mind having one out here – it's beautiful out here."

"Yeah!" Naruto declared with a sudden burst of energy. "Then we're gonna get a house by the lake!" He looked at her with meaningful blue eyes and said with intensity, "I promise."

Hinata gazed into his expression; his wide-set grin and his smoldering blue eyes and found her love bursting in her chest in so many waves it nearly hurt. His promise made her heart swell in utter compassion for him. A house by the lake…just her and Naruto. She could imagine getting up early in the morning, careful not to awaken her husband and tiptoeing silently into the kitchen to begin cooking for his ravenous appetite. And while she was frying something on the stove, he would wrap his arms around her from behind and… The vision made her beam. It wasn't too far off into the future – to secure her dreams into reality. She stood up on her toes to kiss the corner of his mouth fleetingly before her burst of courage slipped away. "Arigato, Naruto-kun."

Naruto looked down at her, his expression unreadable and reached over to take her chin in his hands. She stopped as he redirected her gaze towards him. "Ne," he whispered softly, "Do that again, Hinata." His sky blue eyes were pleading and his lips were gently curled into his smile, her smile.

She reached up and laid her small pale hands on either side of his face, the perfect curve of his face fitting into the shape of her hands. She stood up on her toes and he leaned down towards her as their lips gently brushed together. Her hands moved to entangle themselves in his golden hair and his lips moved against hers. "I love you, Hinata," he whispered fiercely against her mouth.

Hinata opened her pale eyes, ecstasy trembling through her veins. White met blue as he tightened his embrace around her. Despite the numerous times he had repeated this phrase in her ear, her heart never failed to swell and nearly burst within and she felt as though she was soaring to the clouds.

_He_ loved her.

He loved _her._

He _loved_ her.

* * *

Standing off in the distance, the witness to this couple's joy and happiness watched them with menacing eyes as his lips twisted into a deep scowl. By-passers took one look at this stranger and walked instantly to the other side of the street. Children ran at the sight of him, hiding behind the safe embrace of their mothers. He was accustomed to being the outcast, to being hated and despised.

He had a clear view from where he stood of the Uzumaki and the Hyuuga. His scowl intensified in hostility into a snarl as they exchanged light contact of the fingertips with a deep sense of familiarity. The Uzumaki's arm moved around Hinata's shoulders and she didn't seem to mind. Rather, she _blushed_.

The stranger clenched a fist at his side, his nails biting deeply into his skin. How _dare_ he. Who was he to take her, to own her, as he himself had done naught but a few years ago? And she, how dare she forget about him as though he had never existed, walking simply beside the Uzumaki as though it was a fact. Did she forget? She belonged to _him._

They were talking now and Hinata was laughing. The stranger gritted his teeth angrily. She had never laughed with him, never laughed freely. But now she was standing beside this…this mere _Kyuubi_ and looking at him with all the love and affection pretending that he himself did not exist, pretending that he had died in some far off distant past.

Then suddenly, Hinata stood up on her toes and _kissed_ the Uzumaki.

The stranger's eyes shot blood red as though his eyes were bleeding and he stared through them, his gaze wide with disbelief mingling with hate and despise. Had she? No…no his eyes had to be deceiving him. Those lips belonged to no one else other than his own, the love in her eyes, the soft touch in her hands… No. No, she could not have given it away all for some mere _Kyuubi_.

But then again… she could.

The stranger watched them, dumbfounded, as the Uzumaki whispered softly to her. She smiled in reply and placed her hands gently on his face and leaned up to kiss him. They embraced each other in a disgusting scene of harmony and tranquility.

The stranger's eyes intensified in hate and loathing. Then he was bounding over the rooftops of Konoha, running fast and furious to the woods before his anger would blow his cover. Once he was within the safety of the secrecy of the forest, he ran his fist straight through a tree, making the ancient tree groan and ease the other direction, toppling over in a flurry of chattering birds as they flew away. He seemed not to notice.

_Hinata_.

He screamed his anger and frustration to the skies as he clenched his fists at his sides, trembling. His eyes were burning in his face and his nails were nearly tearing through the palms of his hands.

He needed to _kill_.

"Hey, nii-san, I heard a noise over here…" a little girl clambered over the toppled tree. She looked about her surroundings with curiosity, and then her round eyes saw the stranger. His eyes swerved slowly, then locked onto her. A child. A low hiss escaped from his lips as his eyes contracted at the sight of her. His hands twitched strangely at his sides, like a dull heartbeat.

"N-nii-san!" The little girl screamed, but her voice was abruptly cut off in a burst of flowing crimson. Her nii-san came for her only for his blood to mingle with hers on the ground as well.

Staring down at his bloodstained hands, the stranger looked at the fresh corpses with something close to revulsion and hate brewing in his glare. Kicking the bodies over with no compassion, he wiped the blood off his hands on the little girl's dress. The scent of blood in the air made him calmer and he was able to clear his mind and concentrate better now.

He would exact his revenge on Uzumaki. And remind Hinata that she was _his_.

Fisting his hands before him, he raised his voice in a keen, eager howl of enthusiasm.

* * *

Hinata made the lonely walk home by herself, holding several bags of groceries in her hands. The sun had set far in the sky behind her and an eerie, unpleasant feeling was starting to overcome her as she saw her shadow lengthen beneath her feet. Usually Naruto would walk her home because he would never have her walk alone at this time of night, but he had to go meet with Tsunade concerning something about a certain missing shinobi. He had taken so long apologizing, Shizune all but appeared and dragged him away.

Hinata frowned. Yes, she remembered the missing shinobi that Naruto was obsessing in his search for. For he had promised his teammate Sakura that he would find his best friend and her crush.

Her silent wish was that they would never succeed and that the missing shinobi would stay just that: missing.

Sighing, Hinata continued on her path, keeping to the sidewalk where there was light. Usually, she would never walk in this part of the neighborhood at night, but she wanted to drop off some groceries for Naruto since he had no time to go shopping for himself. She smiled and checked the paper bags to see the vegetables the Kyuubi loathed. Really, his obsession with ramen was going to be the end of him.

She tightened her hold on the paper bag when an owl hooted not too far off. The sound made the hair on her arms rise as she nervously quickened her pace.

She walked around a turn in the road when she heard voices, low and dark. Hinata tightened her hold on the bags. She didn't want to stay in this part of town too long to figure out who they were. Besides, he didn't live too far away from here. She was almost there. Hastily, she willed herself to walk faster.

"Hinata!"

She stiffened in her tracks and turned around slowly. In the alleyway was none other than Haruno Sakura, Naruto's teammate. Trademark bright pink hair crowned her head in her disheveled state and she was stumbling, leaning against the walls. Hinata could smell her breath even from where she was standing – she was drunk.

Sakura took a swing of the bottle, clumsily spilling some of the liquid all of her rumpled shirt. "Hinata! My best friend!" She called out again, drunkenly.

"Sakura," Hinata replied curtly. She pressed her lips into a small smile. When she was younger, she used to be jealous of this pink-haired shinobi who always seemed to catch Naruto's eyes. Now, though, she had nothing to be envious of in this girl, but felt only sympathy. She had never been close to her, but from what Ino said, when that certain teammate of Naruto and Sakura's went missing, Sakura had been inconsolable. Apparently, she had picked up more than a few traits from her sensei the Hokage and was out almost every night drunk on sake in an attempt to lose herself.

Sakura stumbled and slung an arm over Hinata's shoulder. "Heeey Hinata," she slurred. "Shinji just told me you were getting married to Uzumaki. 'Graaats."

"Thanks," Hinata replied, although she had no idea who Shinji was, her smile becoming forced. The reek of alcohol from her breath was repulsive.

Sakura peered at her through foggy green eyes. "Although, I told Shinji it prob'bly won't last, y'know? After all," she took another swing of the bottle, "Uzumaki's had a crush on me since the Academy days. He'll prob'bly drop you after he gets what he wants…"

Hinata stiffened, her blow coming close to home. "It's great seeing you again, Sakura," she grinded from her teeth as she pried Sakura's arm off her shoulders. "Take care of yourself."

"Y'know," Sakura blundered on, as though she hadn't heard Hinata, "I used to be jealous of you back then. 'Cause I know you and Sasuke-kun were always really close…"

Hinata flushed red. _No._ Not that name again… She felt the ground almost give way beneath her feet, as though the world shifted and suddenly everything was off-balance. She felt like she was suffocating suddenly – she couldn't think, couldn't _breathe… _

"Hey you're blushing, Hinata…"

"Excuse me!" Hinata burst out suddenly, turning her face away from Sakura. She turned her heel and fled.

Sakura watched her flee down the street silently. She wiped her mouth and pitched the barely-drunken bottle aside to the ground. Her green eyes narrowed viciously at the disappearing Hyuuga girl, her drunken act over. "You can't take him away from me, Hinata-_chan_," she whispered darkly. "I'll make sure of that."

* * *

Hinata burst into Naruto's apartment, face flushed. She dumped the groceries on the ground and slid against the closed door, face in her hands. What was that? She hadn't seen Sakura in years and suddenly, she was there, the prettiest girl in the Academy drunk, wasted and ruined, suddenly spewing out poisonous names from forgotten memories…

_Sasuke_.

She shivered at then name. She hadn't heard it in years. She had managed to forget all about him, even when Naruto innocently brought his childhood companion up. He was missing. Let him _stay_ missing. Let him go to Orochimaru and never come back. She wiped the corners of her eyes, her breathing slowly evening. He was gone now. He won't come back. He had no reason to come back. He had what he wanted – let him keep it.

"Hinata-chan?"

She looked up, bleary-eyed into the face of Naruto. He was standing in front of her, wearing his pajamas and signature sleeping cap, rubbing his eyes, looking like a sweet, innocent angel that had been rudely awakened. She hadn't expected him home yet. She thought that he would still be with Tsunade until the next morning. But it didn't matter: he was here now. "Hinata-chan?" he said again, a puzzled look on his sleeping face. "Are you okay?"

She didn't answer him, only averted her eyes from his face.

He curled up next to her in front of his door, wrapping his arms around her small, tiny frame. "Whatever it is, it's fine now, kay?" he whispered softly in her ear. "I'm here now." He rested his head on top of hers. Hinata closed her eyes. She reached for his hand and held it tight, as though clinging onto him for her sanity.

"You know, Hinata," Naruto mumbled, half-asleep. "I had a dream about you. I dreamed that I died and you wouldn't stop crying…" He squeezed her tightly as though he was making sure she was still there. He said softly, fiercely in her ear, "But I'm here now, kay? I'm not going to let you go either."

She squeezed his hand in response. "Thank you, Naruto," she wept softly. "Thank you."

* * *

A/N: Hahahaaa Sakura bashing... Who'da thunk she'd come back evil and drunk? :D -gets tackled and mauled by Sakura fans-

YEAH ITS AN UPDATE! BELIEVE EEET!! (...Yeesh I hate the English dubbed Naruto...)

Have I suddenly had a burst of ideas from a random muse and received a healing from writer's block? Not really. Have I been inspired by the anime that is beginning to bore me from lack of action? Um. No Am I going to start updating on a more frequent basis? Probably not.

Sorry to disappoint y'all. :D Most likely I won't update again until summer starts.

Know why? Know why?! KNOW WHY!?

ITS FINALS WEEK AND IM FRANTICALLY TRYING TO STUDY WHEN ALL I REALLY WANNA DO IS TYPE!! -bangs head on table and scratches face off and rolls around the ground in hysterics-

...Yeah. -cough- I have a sudden impulse to burn something. I'm gonna go, like, make toast or something.

**Review the insane person pweety pweaseee. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Schism**  
By: Cabalistic  
_"Love is not lifelong passion, nor fiery devotion. Love is dancing on the brink of Madness."_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

III

Morning came and Hinata rose from her bed early at the first break of sunlight, eager to start the day. The wedding had filled her with delicious anticipation with every morning and she could feel her entire being, her entire existence all fixated on that one moment of "I do".

Of course, there was more to do than moon around like a lovesick schoolgirl. There were invitations to be sent, arrangements to be done, decorations to order, and always, always things to plan. She had no time to think or mull over the previous day's incident; she hastily forgot her encounter with Sakura as though it had been nothing more than a dream.

Even her best friends Ino and Tenten could not see what she was hiding when she buried herself in her work. She had decided not to tell them, especially with Ino's past history with the young Haruno. Bitter rivalries were better left to rot in a forgotten corner.

Situating herself on a chair, she spun around a few times, twirling a pencil in hand. Surprisingly, she found that sitting at Naruto's desk helped her concentrate better on the wedding at hand. She carefully stacked her pile of lists into an organized pile before flipping through them once more.

Guests in alphebetical order, categorized by location and placed into according seating charts. Important contacts including wedding gowns designers, the church owners, flower arranging - which was usually left up to Ino & co., and others. Certain designs for the wedding bulletins, menus, and prepared thank-you cards. Guest list of who had replied to the invitations and who hadn't yet and who wasn't going. And others.

Hinata smiled to herself. She had insisted not calling up a wedding planner. Having a slight case of OCD, she couldn't bear the thought of someone else mangling up her own wedding day. Her friends thought she was crazy. Even Neji thought that she was overdoing it. But Naruto grinned at her, gave her that thumbs-up and said, "Go for it, Hinata!"

Hinata's smile broadened despite herself. She couldn't help but smile everytime she thought about him. His golden hair, his sky-blue eyes, the way he laughed, his ridiculous reasoning with life, his strange appetite, his even stranger sense of logic. And the way he held her like there was no tomorrow...

She smacked the table with her palm, bringing herself back into reality. Focus Hinata, she told herself sternly. She was supposed to be planning for the wedding, not daydreaming.

She picked up her list again. Right. So she was supposed to call Shikamaru, Chouji, Kiba and Neji to reconfirm that they wanted to be Naruto's best men. Turning to the computer at her elbow, she noted that as of now Shikamaru, Chouji and Neji had so far confirmed. However, Kiba had not. Hinata frowned - Kiba was taking the news of Naruto and Hinata's marriage a bit too hard. Maybe it had something to do with her rejecting his affections several years before, but she had always assumed that he had gotten over it by now...

She sighed, staring at the phone on the corner of the desk. Did she have to call him about that? That was one awkward phone call she was hoping to avoid. Maybe she could just send him another card or something...

"Hinata-chaaaaaaaan!"

Suddenly she was being pinned to the back of the chair by two gangly arms squeezing her head, and found herself in hysterics despite herself, protesting his name. He laughed with her, and their laughing voices sycronized in perfect harmony.

When he finally caught his breath, he plopped himself on his knees beside her, his large blue eyes blinking curiously at her work. "So, Hinata-chan, you still working on the wedding stuff?"

"More or less," she said with a sigh. She told him the predicament with Kiba.

Normally, had she been going out with any other guy, she wouldn't have usually brought up the subject of a former admirer so casually, even if it was one who was turned down. But with Naruto, there wasn't a sense of worry. He barely batted an eyelash of jealousy or posessiveness. He burst into his sunshine grin and insisted that he'd call Kiba up and ask him for her, maybe head out for some ramen sometime - where in the world had he been lately anyway?

Hinata smiled as she heard Naruto calling up Kiba, bursting with "Yo Kiba! Where have you been, teme?!" He was so sweet. She thought that it might have been awkward inviting Kiba to the wedding and even hesitated not inviting him. But Naruto was the one who insisted that Kiba come the wedding, with absolutely no hard feelings or complications regarding the past.

Unlike a certain someone.

A shudder crawled up Hinata's spine and she shook her head. No. No, not while Naruto was here. No. She stopped thinking about him. He was long gone, she reassured herself, and he would never come back. He had no reason to.

Hinata crushed her palm against her temple, gritting her teeth angrily. Why did she have to meet up with Sakura in that random alley last night? Was it some kind of ill-destiny-fate thing? With that single encounter, now there were all these memories rushing to resurface and haunt her once more.

"...Hinata-chan? You okay?"

Hinata looked up, with a bright smile. "Oh yeah! I'm fine."

"You look kinda sick." Naruto's face looked devastated by his worry. "Do you want to lie down? You want me to make you some ramen?"

"I'm fine, just a bit of a headache," Hinata said with a laugh. "So what did Kiba say?"

Naruto gave her a suspicious look but then brightened as he said, "Oh yeah, the teme'll come. He said that he lost the invitation or something and forgot to call you back. But he'll come, don't worry about it Hinata."

"That's a relief," Hinata said with a sigh, leaning back in her chair.

"You look stressed, Hinata," Naruto said, looking worried again. "I know you want to do this on your own, but isn't this kinda overdoing it, Hinata?"

"I'm fine," Hinata insisted. "This is our wedding and I want to make sure everything is perfect."

"If you say so, Hinata." His face brightened up. "I'll help you! Who else do you need to call?"

Hinata smiled and pulled out a list. "Well..."

* * *

Naruto all but collapsed on the couch. "I'm beat," he groaned. "I think I'm going to hear phones ringing in my head when I go to sleep tonight." He rolled over and looked at Hinata, his hair ruffled. "You've been doing this all by yourself, Hinata?"

"Yeah," she said. "But it's not hard - I've had worse."

Naruto shook his head with another groan. He watched her type on the computer a few more minutes, his eyes absorbed by the sight of her. Her concentration on her task, her focused pale eyes, her dark hair gleaming in the fading sunlight. He smiled and reached over to touch her wrist. Surprised, she looked down at him. "You've been doing that too long, Hinata-chan," he said and, with a mischievious grin, pulled her on top of him.

She yelped and for a minute, they were sprawling, hands, elbows and legs on the couch, for balance. He was tickling her and she cried with laughter.

They finally untangled in a gasping heap and he laid his cheek on top of hers gently. "I love you, Hinata," he said, with a child-like innocence to his eyes mingling with his conviction.

She smiled. "I love you too, Naruto," she responded softly.

He didn't answer her that time - he had fallen asleep and was lightly snoring away on top of her.

She smiled and, carefully reaching over not to disturb her sleeping fiance on top of her, switched off the light, and settled back down on the couch. Wrapping his arms tightly around her like a blanket, she fell asleep beside him, dreaming of days spent with her beloved.

And from a distance, dark eyes watching the sleeping pair hungrily, with vengeance sparked in their depths...

* * *

A/N: Whooooo!! An update!! Yeah... What can I say, I suffer from horrible writer's block. -hides behind chair- Please don't throw anything at me...

I can make you a bunch of pretty promises wrapped up in ribbons saying that I'm going to update more often. But I'll just say, watch for yourself! Maybe I'll surprise you. :D

I will say this: I am interested in writing fanfics again. Which is good. Summer has been boring so far, lemme tell ya.

Anyhoo, I know that the storyline is starting to drag, which is why I've decided to finally make haste with the action and start the storyline already. I know most of you are SasuHina (most of you _should_ be anyway...) and you're probably disgusted from all the NaruHina action going on here. Lemme tell ya, I am too, and I'm the one who has to write it!! (But hey, they are pretty cute together...)

Anyways, the storyline'll pick up soon. Happy now?

**REVIEW AND MAYBE I'LL UPDATE SOONER. **Not. Haha. -gets assaulted by angry mob- (I'm kidding I'm kidding!!)


	4. Chapter 4

**Schism**  
By: Cabalistic_  
"Love is not lifelong passion, nor fiery devotion. Love is dancing on the brink of Madness."_

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters.

* * *

IV

Hinata woke up alone.

Curled up on the same couch, she stared tear-eyed at the mangled wedding dress stewn on the floor in front of her. A familiar orange and black jacket was thrown over her shoulders and she hid her face into the cloth, too numb to cry. Her porcelain face was smeared in drying blood. Rain trickled down the glass window behind her, but she seemed barely aware of her surroundings. Thunder rumbled in the distance, but she remained motionless.

It had been several hours since she had woken up, but a lifetime seemed to have passed since then.

She woke up, bright-eyed and smiling to find that she was alone, Naruto's jacket wrapped snugly around her to keep her warm. A note was tucked into the pocket, in Naruto's sloppy scrawl saying that he went to Tsunade to check on the search for his companion, and he would be back a few hours later. Another sloppy happy-faced doodle and signed Naruto at the bottom. She laughed at his poor attempt at drawing.

She had called Neji to see if he was doing anything. Apparently Tenten was out with Ino trying to find the right hair-styles for the wedding and he was bored stiff. He had eagerly accepted her suggestion of going to the beach, in an attempt to avoid his girlfriend's shopping spree. Tenten and Neji were an odd couple together, yet it was about time they finally accepted one another.

The two Hyuuga cousins met up on the beach, Hinata looking flushed and excited while Neji looked cautious and wary. He smiled at the sight of his cousin and Hinata gave a bright grin in return and linked arms with him.

"How have you been, Neji-nii-san?" she chimed.

"Good, more or less. The wedding is in about a week, ne?"

Hinata flushed again with excitement. "Yes it is," she whispered.

Neji arched a perfectly elegant eyebrow and stared down at his younger cousin. "You've changed, Hinata," he said finally. "You're much more confident. Ever since Uzumaki came into your life, well, you're very cheerful and optimistic these days."

Hinata stopped to take off her shoes as they approached the sand. She rose with a quizzical expression on her face to mock her cousin's. "Is that a bad thing, Neji-nii-san?"

"No, no," he said, chuckling. "It is a good change. I'm happy for you, Hinata."

Hinata beamed. "I'm glad. I feel like everything is starting to fall in place now. Otou-san will have Hanabi has the rightful head the way he always wanted it to be. Hanabi gets to be in a place where she can shine. I can be with Naruto. It seems like a perfect ending for me, Neji. I couldn't be happier."

Neji smiled and said nothing.

They walked along the beach in silence for a few moments, the waves crashing upon the shore. The sun shone crimson in the cloudy sky as it began its course to set into the glimmering seas. In the distance, there were seagull cries. The sand crunched beneath Hinata's feet and between her toes. The entire beach was bathed in scarlet from the sun.

Walking with Neji always set Hinata at peace. A few years ago, Neji might have been at her throat, throttling her with murderous vengeance. But Naruto had changed that. Now Neji and Hinata were as close as siblings and he was finally able to accept her. He proved to be a true big brother to Hinata, and maintained a very protective yet kindly attitude towards her. He even grudgingly accepted Naruto to be right for her.

"You're happy then, Hinata? Truly happy?"

Hinata closed her eyes and rested her head on Neji's shoulder. "Oh yes, Neji. Happier than I've ever been."

He didn't answer her that time. "What's that?" He said, puzzled.

Hinata opened her eyes and stared out at the sea, confused. "What are you talking about?" she asked when he suddenly pointed in front of them.

"That, right by the water. What is that?" He said, squinting.

Hinata followed his gesture and saw a swarm of gulls crowding around a dark long object that she couldn't make out a distance ahead of them. Perplexed, she cocked her head at the sight. "A... dead fish?" She wondered aloud.

Neji shook his head slowly. "It's too big to be a fish," he replied, frowning. With a quick hand-motion, he activated his Byakuyan and his intense gaze surveyed the sight ahead. Hinata fell silent at the sight of his Byakuyan - whatever that thing was, it had Neji serious. His expression darkened.

"Stay here," he said, in a strange voice. "I'll go check it out."

Obediently, Hinata remained standing where they were as Neji stode ahead. He picked up a handful of rocks and threw them at the crowd of gulls. The action sent the birds scrabbling away, taking off in a mad flutter for flight towards the sky. Neji stood for a few moments, his arms tensed at his sides. Suddenly, he recoiled with a gasp.

Hinata forgot what he had commanded her and ran forward, anticipation rising in her throat and curiosity taking over her better conscience. "What is it, Ne--..." She suddenly stopped and stumbled in her tracks, staring wide-eyed at the sight before her.

A body.

Half-mauled by the gulls. In the red sunlight, it was hard to make out from a distance, but Hinata could see now that blood mixed with the seawater and soaked into the sand. It reeked of blood, a smell of lingering greasy copper coins in the air. The waves pushed it onto the shore and it slowly sank back down again, only to be pushed back up. The body was torn up beyond recognition and the head-- The head was gone. Completely decapitated.

The sight of the body made Hinata feel faint. She stumbled back a few steps and Neji took her by her shoulders and pulled her back protectively. "A body," he confirmed in a low voice.

"N-N-Neji..." Hinata whimpered softly.

"It wasn't an accident either," he said in a dark voice. His tensed Byakuyan-white eyes scanned the corpse with an expert eye, from years of experience with the ANBU squad. "This was murder."

There was a sudden gleam on the mauled chest, caught in the fading sunlight. Hinata squinted, confused. Then slowly, against her better reasoning, she reached forward and picked it up.

A jewel. On a string. A green diamond-like jewel.

"N-no..." Hinata felt something heavy contrict around her, as if the very air surrounding her had become poisonous. She sank to her knees on the wet, bloodied sand, lifting the necklace into the fading sunlight, staring at it in disbelief. "No, it can't be..." She stared at the necklace that she knew all-too well, that a certain Kyuubi showed her on the night they first went out, given to him by the Hokage herself...

"Hinata...?" Neji said slowly, sinking beside his cousin, but he was cut off by a sudden scream.

"_Naruto!_" Hinata suddenly seized the bloodied remnants of the corpse's hands in her own, her eyes wide with disbelief and sorrow. "_God, no, please!! _Naruto!" She sobbed, touching the bloody hand to her cheek, weeping uncontrollably. "Naruto!" Her body hunched forward and she sobbed over the broken, bloodied body. As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew it was true.

She knew his hands. She knew his ragged remains of clothes. She knew that necklace on his chest. She _knew_.

Despite how much she wanted to deny it.

"Hinata!" Neji cried, baffled by his cousin's behavior. He grabbed her by her shoulders and slightly shook her as if to help her regain some of her sanity. "Hinata, what are you talking about?!"

"It's Naruto, Neji," she cried, turning back to the headless body. "He's dead, oh God, he's dead!"

She threw her head forward and wept over the body, sobbing a keening cry pouring out her grief.

"We've got to contact the ANBU," Neji said, somewhat grasping the situation. He touched his cousin's shoulders tenderly as her cries grew softer. "Hinata, you have to come with me."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I'll stay here," she whispered. "With Naruto."

Neji looked up, torn, between staying with his cousin and getting help. Finally, he stood, uncertainly. "I'm going to get help, Hinata," he said gently. "I'll be right back, I promise." He squeezed her hand with conviction and vanished.

"Naruto..." she sobbed, crushing the hand against her heart. The world seemed to be crashing down on her shoulders, bearing down its weight on her. She could barely breathe, she felt like she was suffocating. She wept his name and tears mingled with blood on the ground.

A shadow cast across her back, although she did not notice in her sorrow. Standing a few feet behind her, dark eyes watched her with a crooked smile on his lips, chuckling low and dark to himself as he turned and walked away, leaving the broken fiancée to her grief.

* * *

Hours had passed since then. Hinata found herself curled up on her couch, staring blankly before her. Her computer screen was still on and lists from the wedding blinked on the screen. It seemed pointless now. Her wedding dress, torn out of its box and thrown onto the ground. Wasted now. The ring on her finger, holding the promise of eternity, of love, of a lifetime of memories. Worthless now.

"He never even got to see me in that dress," Hinata whispered. "He wanted to see me in that dress so bad..."

She curled into a tighter ball, snuggling Naruto's jacket closer to her.

Could it be true? It was only a few hours ago, really, that he was right beside her, laughing as though the world would never stop. He was alive, breathing, and laughing only hours ago. Could it be fair that he was dead now, headless and decapitated? She could still smell him here, his unique scent caught in his jacket around her shoulders.

How could it be? Everything had finally started to make sense. Father had his perfect heir. Hanabi found her place in the world. Hinata could finally be with her lifelong crush. Everyone was happy. It was absolutely perfect. And it all fell apart in a matter of hours. Suddenly, the world seemed empty and lifeless, without meaning or hope. Suddenly, Hinata had no reason to live, no reason to stay. Not without his laughter. Not without him.

The phone had rung several times, but every time, Hinata did not pick up. In the background, shee could hear the answering machine play back.

_"Hinata!! Oh my goodness, Ino and I just found out what happened! We're so sorry. We're heading over to your place right now but we're caught in traffic..." _

_"Hinata, it's me, Hanabi. I just heard what happened, I'm really sorry. Do you want me to come over...?" _

_"...Hinata!! This is Ino! Tenten and me are still in traffic, but pick up! Hinata, we're so worried for you! Hinata, just pick up the phone..." _

_"Hinata, this is Neji. Pick up right now, I have to talk to you..." _

_"...Hey, it's Shikamaru. Ino is making me call you 'cause you won't pick up. Come on, Hinata, you can't cry forever..." _

_"Hey this is Kiba. Sorry that I didn't calll sooner, but I just heard what happened. I'm really sorry, Hinata..." _

_"Hinata! Pick up, right now! I mean it!"_

_"Hinata-chaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan!!" _

At the sound of that voice, Hinata suddenly sprang to life. She cried out and leapt off the couch and sprang for the nearest phone, knocking over a lamp that exploded onto the ground in a loud crash. She tackled the receiver and picked up the phone. "Naruto!? Naruto!" she cried, crying anew with relief. "Naruto, are you there!? Thank God, I thought you were dead..."

_"Hinata-chaaaaaaaaaan!! It's Naruto! I'm still at Tsunade's place, I'll probably be out really late. Kiba and me were gonna hang out for some ramen later! Don't worry about me, Hinata. Just make dinner for yourself. I love you, Hinata." _

_Beeep. Thursday. Two-twenty-three. P.M. End of final message. _

Hinata sank onto the ground onto the glass pile without noticing. It was a message. Just a message. "Naruto," she bawled into the receiver, as helplessly as as child. "Naruto! I miss you so much! Come back, please, _please_, come back Naruto! Come back...come back and smile at me again. Laugh at me for being so stupid for thinking you're dead... Just come back, Naruto, please..."

_If you'd like to make a call, please hang up and try again._

Slowly, she dropped the receiver with a heavy thunk onto the ground. Hopeless. She knew it was hopeless. She covered her face and cried.

Minutes passed. Hours passed. Eternities passed. Hinata didn't move. She crawled under the desk into a tiny ball underneath Naruto's jacket and didn't move. She barely breathed. She didn't say a word.

There was a gentle knock on her door. She didn't get up.

Slowly, the door opened and Neji came in, closing the door behind him. "Hinata?" he said softly, looking around the dark apartment. There were no lights on. He took Hinata home hours before when they found the body and left to join the investigation teams to discover as much as they could about the crime. But there wasn't a single light on in the apartment. He half-wondered if she was still here.

He walked through the apartment, calling her name softly, when he suddenly stepped on a piece of glass. He recoiled and stepped back. Wincing, he pried out the piece of glass, thankfully not drawing any blood. He stared at the myriad of shards on the ground. The remains of a lamp? Then he heard soft sobbing. Making his way carefully around the glass, he saw Hinata, curled up beneath the desk, covered in Naruto's jacket.

"Hinata," he said gently. "Hinata come out. It's Neji."

She didn't move.

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeep. _He looked down and saw a phone receiver on the ground among the scattered pieces of glass, still on message playback. He turned it off and set it back on the counter.

He sighed and got down on his knees, crawling underneath the desk next to Hinata. He touched her cheek gently. She stirred and stared at him with lifeless white eyes. "Hinata, it's me, Neji," he said gently. "Let's go out now, Hinata. You're covered in blood."

She shook her head, barely.

"Come on," he urged her gently. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out of the desk. She barely protested against him and let herself be carried, limp as a doll.

He carried her into the bathroom and wiped off her bloody face. He took out all the shards embedded in her legs. She barely moved, much less winced. When he finished, he carried her back out and put her on the couch. She remained sitting there, motionless and lifeless, as he cleaned up the remains of the lamp. He returned with a bowl of soup and set it in front of her. She stared blankly ahead of her.

"Eat, Hinata," he commanded softly. "Your friends'll kill me if they found out you haven't eaten."

She didn't answer him.

"They're still stuck in traffic, you know. Something about a car accident due to the rain."

She still didn't answer.

"You have to eat, Hinata. At least eat."

When she still didn't answer him, he sighed in defeat and picked up the bowl, turning back to the kitchen.

She finally stirred. She looked up at him and said quietly, "Ramen."

"Ramen?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

"Ramen, please, Neji," she said quietly.

He paused, staring at her wordlessly. "All right," he finally said. "If you want ramen, you can have ramen, Hinata."

She nodded, slightly, before staring wordlessly ahead of her, blank once more.

He went into the kitchen, and noticing there was a new message on the phone, clicked the button on his way in.

_Message playback. _

_"Hey Hinata, it's Sasuke. I'm back in Konoha. You won't mind if I stop by your house some time, do you? I really want to see you again..." _

* * *

A/N: GASP CAN IT BE TRUE?! Yesh I've updated two times in two days! It must be a new record!!

I tried to make this one somewhat long-ish to make up for the really short previous chapter. I kinda forgot to talk about it, but the other chapter was really short because it was leading up to the tragedy and horror of this chapter. Yeah. Hope you're satisfied.

Hahaa. Whooo what can I say. I have to apologize for the teenager-angst and depressing grotesque bloody suicidal turn of the story. But I had to keep it realistic because, hey, her fiancé just died. Be nice now, children. Anyways, as you can see, Sasuke will soon have his first appearance in the story. So to all you faithful readers, _CONGRATS YOU'VE LASTED THIS FAR!! _

Ahem. Anyways.

Mini-poll here: who do you think is the killer? It should be fairly obvious by now, but I'd like to have your input on this.

**REVIEW PLEASE. **It makes me feel like people are actually reading.


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